Faculty Member Receives Industry Community Achievement Award

J.D. Mather, assistant professor of drafting and computer aided design at Pennsylvania College of Technology, was presented the Autodesk Manufacturing Community Achievement Award.

The award was presented Nov. 30 during the Autodesk Manufacturing Keynote presentation at Autodesk University 2010 in Las Vegas.

The Autodesk Manufacturing Community Achievement Award is given annually to recognize individuals for their highly valued contributions to the Autodesk Manufacturing Users Community. Contributions can include innovative designs or use of Autodesk software, leadership in discussion groups or user groups, and long-term participation at Autodesk University as an attendee or instructor.

The award is not tied to activity occurring within a particular year, but to an overall contribution or lifetime of achievement. In addition to industry-wide recognition, the award included an all-expenses-paid trip to the conference, a VIP conference pass and a contribution by Autodesk to Penn College.

Mather has presented or co-presented papers at Autodesk University since 2005 and has contributed articles to AUGIWorld Magazine in addition to presentations at local Autodesk Users Groups meetings and SkillsUSA University. His particular specialties relate to rapid prototyping technologies (additive manufacturing) and virtual "digital prototyping" of products and manufacturing systems.

Mather credits this Autodesk Manufacturing Community Achievement Award to efforts that began with his doctoral dissertation and a research sabbatical he undertook during the spring of 2007. He researched dynamic simulation and digital prototyping and projects that could be undertaken with students. Digital prototyping was the theme ofthis year's Autodesk University Manufacturing Industry Keynote, which was titled "Digital Prototyping Comes to Life."

While attending the conference he was recertified as an Autodesk Inventor 2011 Professional. Also attending the conference was Katherine A. Walker, assistant professor of drafting and computer-aided design, who completed the AutoCAD 2011 Certified Professional exam, and Penn College alumnus Robert Holmes, who was presented with the CAD Program Faculty Award upon graduation in May 2008 with an associate degree in computer aided drafting technology. Holmes also completed the AutoCAD 2011 Certified Professional exam while at Autodesk University.

To learn more about computer aided design majors and other academic programs offered by the School of Industrial and Engineering Technologies at Penn College, call 570-327-4520 or visit online .

For general information about the college, visit on the Web , e-mail or call toll-free 800-367-9222.